Return of the Dark Lord
by The Chuckinator
Summary: When Shadic encounters two shapeshifters, Blade and Claw, he finds out that they have been sent to observe him. They soon find out that he is the Dark Lord of Mordor and inform their friend Mystic, who teleports them to Middle-Earth to get rid of the Dark Lord once and for all. But once there, they find out that things are not always as they seem. AU.
1. The Two Watchers

Return of the Dark Lord

By Clawshifter and The Chuckinator

Chapter 1: The Two Watchers

Shadic sat up in bed. He had just woken up and yawned, then went into the kitchen to get something to eat. The hedgehog could get the strange sense that he was being watched, and shrugged it off. His son, Silvond, walked into the room and yawned.

"Where's Silver?" He asked, still yawning.

"I'm not sure, son." Shadic said.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Silver walked in. He sighed and looked around, then saw his son.

"Hey dad!" Silvond said, waving at him.

"Hey, Silvond," Silver said, waling inside. "How are you?"

"I'm good. Were you at work?"

Silver nodded. "Yeah, it was pretty busy last night. I work at Sega, you know."

Silvond smiled. He sat down on the couch as his parents sat beside him, and continued to talk.

Meanwhile, outside the house, a pair of sparrows were perched on a branch, looking inside. They both had eyes that blazed orange, just like fire. _Do you think they're the ones she meant?_ One of them asked the other telepathically.

_Of course they are!_ The other said in the same manner. _Now shush! We must wait for the opportune moment..._

Shadic looked up. He thought he saw something outside and went to the window, looking around. The two sparrows hopped around on their branch, acting like normal. Shadic saw the unnatural orange glow in their eyes, however. He smiled knowingly and transformed into a sparrow, flying outside and landing next to them. The two other sparrows fluttered away. Shadic watched them fly away, wondering where they were going. They were being odd. He flew off, following the two other sparrows from a distance, hoping they didn't see him. One of them looked back, then turned around and changed into a hawk, which then zoomed towards him. Shadic chirped and transformed into an eagle, screeching at them. The hawk screeched, then fearlessly tackled the eagle. A second bird of prey, this one a large horned owl, joined the fight, assisting the hawk. The three birds fought, raking their talons against each other's feathers. Shadic's eyes narrowed; he was outmatched. He closed his eyes as his body began to shift, and soon, a gigantic dragon had taken the eagle's place. It roared at the two birds, who seemed frightened.

_Who are you?_ The dragon asked telepathically as it growled. _Why are you two watching us?_

The hawk recovered from her fear and also changed. She became a large white dragon with flowing plumes on its head, broad feathered wings which bore four silver claws each, and a turbine shaped tail which was constantly spewing fire.

_You actually expect us to tell you?_ She spat telepathically. _Ha! We are smarter than you think._

Shadic growled. He glared at the white dragon and flapped his wings, hovering in the air. _What are you talking about?_

The white dragon snarled. _You will see soon enough._

She turned to her companion, whom had become a bipedal black dragon with finned claws and a tail that was also turbine shaped, and the two flew away, trailing smoke and electricity behind them. The blue dragon frowned, looking confused. He flew back home and changed back into a hedgehog. Shadic sighed and shook his head, then walked into his house. Silver and Silvond looked up as he came in.

"Where've you been?" Silver asked.

"Oh, nowhere." Shadic lied. "I just went outside to take a walk."

He sat down on the couch and sighed, thinking about what the two dragons had told him. It was confusing. He had a feeling that they would come back, in another form. If they did, he would be ready. Shadic shook his head, wondering who they were.

Silver sat down beside him. "What are you thinking about?"

"Not much. Why do you ask?"

"Do you want to do anything today?"

Shadic shrugged. "I did want to visit my parents, but they're out of town."

"How are Sonic and Shadow doing, anyway?" Silver asked Shadic. "Have they been doing anything lately, like stopping Eggman?"

"They're doing alright." Shadic answered. "Haven't really done much, though. Eggman hasn't been up to anything as of late."

Silver smiled and sat up, looking at his watch. "Silvond, school starts in ten minutes! Are you getting ready?"

"Yeah!" Silvond called back. He came downstairs with his backpack and smiled, then ran out the door. His parents watched him leave and chuckled.

"Hey, I got something for Silvond's birthday tonight," Silver said. He walked toward the closed and opened it, then took out Silvond's birthday present. It was a Sega Dreamcast.

Shadic smiled. "I think he'll like it." He said.

"You think so?" Silver asked, and Shadic nodded. The white hedgehog smiled and put the present away. "What did you get him?"

"I...haven't gotten his present yet..." Shadic admitted.

"Really? Would you have time to get him one?"

Shadic sighed and shook his head, then looked at his partner. "I've been pretty busy lately, so I don't think so. Why?"

"Well, maybe if we hurry, we can get him something before he comes home from school," Silver said.

Shadic smiled and stood. He walked outside and looked at Silver. "The mall's near the outskirts of the city. You want to drive?"

Silver chuckled, knowing what Shadic meant. He watched Shadic turn into a car as he got in the driver's seat, and drove to the mall.


	2. Drastic Measures

Chapter 2: Drastic Measures

When they got there, Shadic changed back and they ran inside, searching for a present for their son. Shadic went to the music section and looked at the CDs, then saw some Crush 40 albums and smiled.

Silver saw them, too. "Perfect." He said with a smile.

His partner smiled and bought it. Once they were outside, Shadic looked at him. "Shall we race back?"

A competitive glint appeared in the white hedgehog's eye. "You're on!" He said.

Shadic chuckled, and took off at the speed of sound. Silver took off at a similar speed. They ran across Station Square, almost neck and neck with each other. Shadic smiled and his partner as they ran, dodging cars and trucks. They both reached home at almost exactly the same time.

"You almost beat me," Shadic said, grinning.

"Shut up." Silver said, playfully pushing him away. Shadic chuckled and walked inside. He wrapped up the CD and put it in the closet. "He's gonna be happy." Silver said. "I can feel it."

"Yes, he is."

Soon, Silvond came home from school. They heard the door close as he came in. "I'm back," he yelled, and walked into the room.

Shadic and Silver turned and smiled at him. Silvond smiled, and went upstairs to do his homework. That night, Shadic walked outside to get a breath of fresh air. He looked around as his eyes narrowed, then looked up and saw two hawks perched on the roof of his house. Shadic frowned, knowing who they were. The hawks noticed him and narrowed their eyes at him. One prepared to attack, be the other stopped him.

_Not here,_ it said to the other.

The one that was preparing to attack relaxed. It glared at Shadic, who turned into an eagle and flew up to the roof, perching beside them.

_What do you want?_ Shadic asked them.

Both hawks remained silent. The eagle glared at them and flapped its wings, looking out at the city. It wondered why the hawks were at his house. Clearly, they were shapeshifters, as was he. A thought came to him and he sneered evilly, then turned back to normal and jumped down on the ground. He walked into the house and went upstairs to his room. Shadic pulled a drawer open and saw a golden ring. His eyes flashed red and he chuckled, then pulled it out and put it on his finger. Instantly, he was filled with evil, and laughed. With the power of the One Ring he had brought back from his journey through Middle-Earth, he would get those animals to talk. He was the Dark Lord there, after all.

When he came back out, they were gone. This didn't deter him, however. He smirked and went back inside and took off the ring, knowing they'd come back. He got the feeling that he should keep an eye out for them, but he didn't want his family to get suspicious, either. It was then Shadic noticed the two hawks outside his window. He frowned and put on the ring, going outside as his form changed. He grew until he was around eleven feet tall. Once Shadic had reached that height, black armor started forming on his body. It was mostly flat, with slight outward curves where it went over certain sections of his body. Spikes also adorned his armor, curving up from the shoulders. A helmet finished the change, completely covering his head. Shadic's eyes turned blood red as a mace appeared in his hand. The Dark Lord glared at the two hawks, and he sneered evilly as he saw the fear in their eyes.

The hawks assumed their dragon forms again. The female let out a high-pitched, screeching roar, while the male let out a deep, thunderous growl. _What do you want from us?_ The female asked. _We have done no harm to you!_

_ If it's a fight you want, then we'll give you a war!_ The male added, his tail glowing bright blue and his claws crackling with electricity. He was going to charge when an outstretched white wing blocked him.

_Not yet, brother!_ She snapped at him. _We cannot harm him...yet..._

"Yet?" Shadic asked, tightening his grip on the mace. He chuckled. "You have no idea who you're dealing with. I have seen you watching us for days, and the two of you are obviously up to something. Tell me, what do you want from us?"

_We want nothing from you or your family,_ She told him. _We can get what we need elsewhere._

"Then why have you been watching us? Following us? I heard you the other day say that we're the ones she meant. What are you talking about? I demand answers. Now."

The Dark Lord snarled, and the ring on his finger glowed. The dragon's eyes widened as they felt the evil coming from this being, and nodded.

The white dragon fearlessly stared him in the eye. _You want answers? Then listen close. We were sent to observe you by a powerful sorceress, and she believes that you and your family will be of great significance in the near future. She sent us to observe you so she can figure whether her prediction was accurate or not._

"And is it?"

The dragon shook her head. She knew now that Shadic was filled with evil; his appearance proved it, and she could sense the darkness inside him. She looked at the ring on his finger. Her eyes narrowed when she saw the evil thing. She looked back at her brother, then nodded to him. He roared, and a ball of electricity appeared above him. She too began to charge an attack, this one a large ball of fire. When they were fully charged, the siblings launched these attacks together, and the flame and electricity entwined and strengthened each other as they soared towards the Dark Lord. Shadic simply stood there, not moving. The attack hit him, but when it faded, he stood there, unharmed, as did the ring. The Dark Lord sneered.

"If you are thinking about destroying this ring, you cannot. Nothing can, except from where it was made. I am the Dark Lord of Mordor, from Middle-Earth. My father, Shadow, was the first. I am the current one. Silvond will be next."

The black dragon swooped down and grabbed the ring with his electrified claws, sending a shock that would have killed any other living being through Shadic as he struggled to pull the ring from his finger. The ring stayed where it was. Eventually, the two dragons gave up. They landed and looked at Shadic. They turned their backs on the Dark Lord and flew up into the sky and above the clouds. Shadic sighed and walked inside the house. Silver was sitting on the couch and looked at Shadic. His eyes widened. Shadic then realized that he probably should have taken the ring off before he went inside.

"Sorry," he said, and took the ring off. His appearance became normal, and he put the ring in his pocket.

Silver just stared at him in shock and opened his mouth to speak. He looked like he was about to have a panic attack, which he probably was. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then opened them again and looked at his partner. "Can I speak to you in private?"

Shadic nodded and they walked upstairs. Silver closed the bedroom door and whirled around, then began to shout at him. Silvond could hear them yelling at each other.

"What were you doing?" Silver yelled. "Why were you in that form? You almost gave me a heart attack! You know I don't like seeing you as an evil Dark Lord!"

"There were creatures watching us!" Shadic yelled back. "They seemed to be too strong for my normal powers alone, so I had to take drastic measures!"

"Is that so? I didn't see anything!" He looked at Shadic. "I know you're the Dark Lord of Mordor but you don't have to spread your evil ways in this house! I swear, if you corrupt Silvond..."

"Not until he is older." Shadic said. "He is too young now." He glanced out the window and could see the two dragons flying in the distance. "And as for those things that were watching us, I'm sure they'll be back, eventually."

"And what will you do then? Kill them like you killed people when we were in Middle-Earth?"

Shadic said nothing, and Silver slapped him. "What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his cheek.

"I don't want you to become the person you were then." Silver said. "You needed to have some sense knocked into you."

He walked off and headed downstairs. Shadic sighed and sat on the bed, then took out the One Ring and looked at it. His eyes gleamed red for a second before going back to violet. He placed the ring back in its drawer, knowing that if he held on to it, he would only regret it later. Shadic was about to leave when he heard the ring's call. He hesitated, and then pulled the ring out of the drawer and put it in his pocket. Then, he walked downstairs.


	3. Mystic

Chapter 3: Mystic

The two dragons flew in the sky, talking to each other about Shadic and the evil they saw in the him.

_Mystic will not be pleased to hear that her prediction was false..._ The male grunted.

_Nonetheless, we must tell her what we saw, _his sister said firmly. _All we have to say is that there is simply too much darkness in that hedgehog's heart for him to be the one her prediction meant._

_But her husband is also a being of darkness, _her brother pointed out.

_A dragon with power over shadows is not the same thing as a hedgehog with a corrupted soul, _his sister spat. _I thought you would have known better._

The male dragon nodded._ It seems like darkness runs in Shadic's family...he said that his father was a Dark Lord and that his son will be one also. We cannot have people like that help us. They would cause disaster. We must find out what Shadic does as a Dark Lord._

_He mentioned something called Middle-Earth,_ the female pointed out.

_Perhaps that is where he rules from. Is there any way to see what he's done?_

_Mystic should know more._

They nodded and flew off. Their destination was a large castle made of white stone, guarded by several fierce-looking black stone dragons. They went inside and searched for their friend.

_Mystic?_ The male asked. _Are you here?_

A white anthropomorphic cheetah approached the two dragons. "Yes, Claw, I'm here." She said. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Obsidian has fallen ill, and I wanted to see to him for a while."

Claw nodded. _We found who you were looking for, but you're not going to like it._

Mystic was confused. "Why not?"

_He is not the one your vision meant, Mystic,_ Claw's sister said.

"Please explain, Blade."

_He has a soul that is just corrupted by more darkness than you can imagine,_ Blade said. _He claims he is a Dark Lord, and that his father was before him and his son will be after him._

Mystic frowned. "A Dark Lord from where?"

_Mordor, in Middle-Earth. His name is Shadic, and his father's name is Shadow.  
><em>

Mystic's eyes widened in shock. "If that's the case...then I might have encountered him or his father at some point." She said quietly, and remembered them. They were very evil, and had done terrible things. Her fur stood on end as she recalled what had happened. She closed her eyes and tried to block the sight out of her head. But she couldn't. The memories came flowing back. What she saw was a village in flaming ruin, with dead bodies strewn all over the place. Several dark creatures were roaming the ruins, picking through the remains. But she could clearly see their master, and his mere presence gave her the impression that he was a very evil being indeed. "I will never forget those eyes...that aura..." She whispered.

_Who was it you saw?_ Blade asked. _Shadow, or Shadic?_

"I don't know," she admitted. "He was far away, so I couldn't see him clearly. But I do remember he had eyes that were red as bloodstained rubies, and his aura was so vile, one could feel it in the air, even if they were not sensitive to auras like I am."

_Shadic had red eyes. His aura was vile also._

"Then that must have been him," she said. "We should try to find out more about him. I can create a portal that will get us to this Middle-Earth, but it will take time. And, as a fair warning, when we get there, you will take another form and most likely lose your powers. Are you alright with that?"

_Of course,_ Claw said. _What forms are we going to take?_

Mystic thought about it. There were many creatures in Middle-Earth such as hobbits, dragons, humans, elves, Balrogs and common animals. "Well, I myself am going to take an elf form, like I did last time I was there, but you two...I'm not so sure."

Claw and Blade nodded and walked off, turning back into their normal forms. Mystic sighed and sat down, thinking about their conversation. If Shadic had returned, she had to stop him.


	4. Shadic's Explanation

Chapter 4: Shadic's Explanation

Outside the castle, a black dog was crouched in the bushes. Shadic's eyes narrowed as he took in the information he heard. He hadn't heard much, but he did hear something about himself, Middle-Earth, and a portal. As he turned to leave, a loud, horrid screeching noise sounded from the air that made him freeze in his tracks. He was suddenly pinned down from behind by a pair of deathly cold, razor sharp iron claws.

"What is your business here, shapeshifter?" A voice similar to a very loud whisper demanded. "You are not welcome here!" Shadic growled. He vanished and reappeared in front of the figure in his normal form. "I said, what are you doing here?" The figure asked.

This figure was a demon, who bore a resemblance to a hedgehog. His skin was jet black, and his face was covered by an iron mask with a red jewel on the forehead. His eyes were a bright purple, and he had long fangs protruding from his mouth. His back was adorned by a pair of massive crimson wings, each one armed with a blade at the thumb. His hands were also equipped with metal talons. His feet, which were not in shoes, had been replaced by bird talons, and he had a long tail resembling a Night Fury's protruding from his rear.

The demon hissed, showing a forked green tongue inside his mouth. "Answer me before I tear your throat out!" He said.

Shadic chuckled. "I was simply eavesdropping," he said. "They were talking about me, anyway."

The slitted pupils in the demon's eyes flashed an unholy red. "You will not tell anyone what you heard." He said. "And to ensure you don't..." His claws glowed red and he slashed Shadic with them, branding him with some sort of mark. "If you tell anyone what you heard in there, that mark will burn you alive from the inside out."

"I doubt that," the hedgehog said. A dark aura surrounded him and his eyes turned red. The demon gasped in fear.

"It's...you..." He said shakily. He shook his head and cleared his fear away. "I am not loyal to you! I don't serve you anymore!"

Shadic laughed. "Fool. You will always be loyal to me, whether you like it or not."

The demon hissed again and slashed Shadic's face. "I am a being of free will." He snarled. "I am no longer loyal to you, and I never will be so again!"

"You will be," Shadic said, and vanished.

The demon flew back up onto the roof of the castle. "Your grasp on me has been released." He hissed. "I am shielded from your control by my new master's magic."

Shadic appeared in his house and looked at the mark, which had vanished. He walked upstairs and saw Silver.

"I need to talk to you," he said.

Silver looked at him. "What is it?"

"Something important has come up." Shadic told him. "I need to head back to Middle-Earth for a while."

"What are you going to do there, Shadic?" Silver said. "You're not going to do what I think you're doing, are you?"

Shadic didn't answer. He looked down at the One Ring in his hand, then clenched his fist around it.

"I just have a question: how is it that you're the Dark Lord of Mordor, anyway?"

"My father was before me." Shadic told him after a bit of hesitation. "I just inherited his title."

"How did your father become Dark Lord?"

Shadic hesitated again. "It was three thousand years ago...mom and dad were at a bookstore when they were transported to Middle-Earth. They found the One Ring and defeated Sauron, then had me. I grew up in Rohan. After they went on another quest, Sonic came back. He told me that Shadow was now the new Dark Lord after killing the previous one. We went on a quest to save Middle-Earth, and stop Shadow. I joined my father as his apprentice, and became the next Dark Lord."

Silver stared at Shadic in shock. He was three thousand years old? But he looked like he was in his 20s! Silver didn't know how to react to what his partner had told him. "You're...three thousand years old?" He asked, still shocked. "But...you look like a teenager!"

"I'm immortal," he said.

Silver was even more shocked.

"How are you immortal?" he asked Shadic.

"I'm not sure myself." Shadic answered.

"Maybe you got it from your parents."

Shadic thought about it, and then nodded. He sighed and looked at the ring, then back at Silver. He began to question whether he should truly leave or not. "I think we'll leave now," he said.

Silver nodded. "How long will we be gone?"

"I'll be leaving now," Shadic said.

"Can I come with you?"

"If you want." Shadic said.

Silver smiled. "Silvond will be fine here by himself, won't he? I could just stay here with him, if you want me to."

"I won't stop you if you want to come." Shadic said.

The white hedgehog thought about it. "I think I will," he said. "I'd like to see what Middle-Earth is like. Do you want Silvond to come also, or will he be fine here by himself?"

"He'll be fine on his own." Shadic said.

"All right. How are we going to get there?"

Shadic smiled and closed his eyes, then said some words in another language. A bright glow surrounded the two, and they vanished.


	5. Mystic and Darkness

Chapter 5: Mystic and Darkness

Meanwhile, back at Mystic's castle, the anthropomorphic cheetah was using magic to try and make a portal. Mystic sighed in frustration as the two siblings walked up to her.

"How's progress on the portal?" Blade asked suddenly, making Mystic jump. "Please, don't sneak up on me like that." She said. "And it's not going very fast, to say the least."

"How long until it's ready?" Claw asked.

"It might be a while..." The enchantress admitted. "You know where to go if you need anything."

"You said you've been there before, right? How'd you get to Middle-Earth that time?"

"It was an accident involving an old transport amulet that Obsidian gave me." Mystic said. "He said it was a one-time only thing, and I destroyed the amulet soon after I came back home."

"When did you go there?" Blade asked, looking at Mystic. "And what did you do in Middle-Earth?"

"It was about a year ago." She said. "And I didn't really do much, I just lied low and learned as much as I could about the land and the races there."

"Is that when you saw the Dark Lord?"

Mystic nodded. "It reminded me of the time when I had been summoned to Azeroth to assist in the defeat of the Iron Horde." She said.

"Would you like us to go back to Shadic's house?" Claw asked.

"No, it won't take that long." Mystic said.

The two siblings nodded and walked off. Mystic sighed, and continued to work on the portal. She kept looking at her portal spell scroll for reference as she kept trying to get it to work.

A few minutes later, Darkness approached her. "How are you doing?" The demon asked.

"I'm making progress." She said. "I can't make it stable enough for use, though."

The demon nodded. "My old Master, Shadic, came to me earlier today. He was eavesdropping on you."

Mystic looked up sharply. The Dark Lord had been here? "You did deal with him as quickly as you could, right?" She asked. He nodded. "I hit him with the Liar's Brand, but I believe he may have removed it already. You don't know the extent of his power." Darkness said, flicking his finned tail. "The Liar's Brand can only be removed via a spell that only very learned warlocks can learn."

"So he's a warlock as well?"

Darkness nodded. Shadic had very dark and evil magic. He stared out at the setting sun with his violet eyes. "Something big is approaching." He thought to himself. "I pray that we all will make it through safely."

"What is?" The sorceress asked.

"It's nothing, just my intuition acting up." The demon said.

"So, Shadic, the Dark Lord of Mordor, was your Master?" Darkness nodded, and Mystic sighed. "What was he like?"

"He was a cruel, twisted soul who thought nothing of mercy or justice." Darkness said. "And I was a faithful servant of his..." He put one hand on the wall and dug his claws in. "I will never forgive myself for that!"

"When and why did you rebel?"

"I rebelled because, during a mission, I had attacked a family with several young children." He hissed. "I saw the fear in their eyes...I could hear their shaky breaths as I stood over them in my full battle armor, ready to kill them. But...I couldn't bring myself to do it. They did not deserve death." The scoring in the wall from his claws got deeper as he clenched his claws harder. "But then he arrived and forced me to kill them. All of them."

Mystic shuddered. "He sounds like a tyrant. Did you see his father at all?"

"Not in person, but he did talk about his father a bit." Darkness mentioned.

"And what's Shadow like?"

The demon growled. His pupils blazed red as he spoke. "Worse than Satan himself." He hissed through clenched teeth.

"And Shadic's mother? Who is she?"

Darkness' face softened. "He never mentioned her..." He said.

Mystic sighed and nodded, then went back to working on the portal.

Darkness left her to her work, but he still stayed nearby, keeping an eye out for trouble


	6. Arriving In Middle-Earth

Chapter 6: Arriving In Middle-Earth

A flash of light glowed in Mordor as Shadic and Silver appeared. Shadic was wearing his armor and had a mace in his right hand. He was eleven feet tall, and looked at Silver. The white hedgehog had been transformed into an Orc.

Silver looked down at himself. "What...am I?" He asked.

"You're an Orc," Shadic told him. "They are a kind of goblin, and are bred for a single purpose: to serve the darkness."

Silver sighed. "Of course they are..." He said.

"While you are here, you will serve me, without question. Is that understood?" Silver hesitated, and then nodded. "Good," the Dark Lord said. "Now...you will need a new name also. Gothmog will do."

"Why can't I just use my own name?"

"Because a name like Silver would stand out here." Shadic told him.

Gothmog thought about it and nodded. "Of course. Is...is this form permanent?"

"As long as we're here, yes." Shadic told him.

"All right. What now?"

"Now we have to rebuild the Orc army that I once had." He said. "There's a certain elf who needs to be caught."

* * *

><p>Elsewhere in Middle-Earth, a portal opened up, and a pretty female elf jumped through. She wore purple magic robes, and her long white hair fell down to the small of her back. She helped pull two green-haired humans from the portal before it closed.<p>

The humans looked around. "So this is Middle-Earth." The female said, showing the pointed teeth in her mouth. "Interesting."

Blade nodded and looked at himself. "So, these are our new forms?"

The elf shook her head. "One of you is going to become something else very soon." The elf said.

Right on que, Blade grunted and fell to her knees, clutching her middle in pain. She screamed as her body was forced to change, unlike the painless transformations she was used to. Her skin darkened to black and a bovine muzzle pushed from her face. A pair of pointed horns speared from the sides of her head and curled towards the tip of her new snout. Her fingers grew talons and her legs gained a digitigrade stance. Flames burst from her upper back. She felt her entire body heating up. Her insides felt like they were burning, as if they were on fire. Smoke rose from her body as her skin cracked, hardening into scales as molten lava oozed out and stuck to some of them. Blade's arms and legs grew, thickening with muscle. The fingers and toes merged into three digits, thickening as well. She groaned in pain as the bones in his body broke apart, rearranging and thickening with density. A long tail burst from her spine with large spikes appearing on it.

Blade's shoulders filled with pain as they split open, widening as two bat-like wings unfolded from her back. The hair melted into her skull as scales covered her face. Her ears melted away skull but her hearing somehow increased. Long, deadly fangs jutted out from her mouth and replaced her teeth. The eyes grew as they painfully changed, becoming wider and more pronounced, along with her eye color, which turned her irises completely white. Blade's body continued to grow as her muscles twisted, rippling across her body and gaining mass. Her entire body thickened with muscle and grew in size, reaching eighteen feet in height. Flames burst from her scales and engulfed her entire body, intertwining it with shadow. Lastly, an ax and whip appeared in her hands and covered themselves with flame.

When the transformation was finished, the Balrog let out a loud roar. Once its roar ended, however, it felt her energy drain and collapsed onto its hands and knees, breathing heavily. Claw took several steps back, looking at the flaming demonic creature that had replaced his sister. He almost seemed to be afraid of it now.

"What is that?" he yelled, clearly afraid.

"That is a Balrog, my friend." Mystic said. "They are powerful beasts, wielding weapons coated in flames and being able to control fire and shadows at will. Surprisingly intelligent, too."

Blade looked at them with her blank white eyes. "I can still hear you, you know." She said in a much deeper, slightly distorted voice.

Claw gulped and backed away even further. He was highly afraid of this new creature. It was enormous.

"Why did she turn into it?" He asked.

"This form seems to reflect her personality back home." Mystic said. "Strong, powerful...hot-headed." Blade growled and lashed her flaming whip at the elf, who just sidestepped it.

"Aren't they dark creatures, though?"

Mystic nodded. "They usually are sided with evil, yes. Balrogs are Maia spirits that were seduced and corrupted by Melkor, also known as Morgoth, the very first Dark Lord. All of the Dark Lords including Shadow and Shadic have used them since."

Claw became even more afraid, now both for and of his sister. "I don't want that to happen to her." He said.

"It won't," Mystic said. "Trust me."

"That form is permanent, I assume?"

The elf nodded.

"How are you going to keep Shadic from controlling me?" Blade asked. She looked at her brother. "I may look different, but if I'm still me. If Shadic were to control me, and you got hurt because of me..." She trailed off and looked at her monstrous new form.

"I don't know," he admitted. "We'll think of something."

The Balrog nodded and it looked at the elf. "Why is this form permanent?"

"Well, to be more specific, it's permanent while we are here in Middle-Earth." She said. "When we go back home, you will go back to normal."

"All right," the Balrog said. It examined its new form and nodded. Blade stood up, showing how she was at least twice the size of her companions. She examined her new weapons. "These will prove useful..." She said quietly.

Claw smiled and looked at Mystic. They looked out at the sun, which was starting to set. "Do you think you can take us somewhere we can rest?" Blade asked.

Mystic thought for a bit. "Well, we are quite close to Rivendell...but they will not take kindly to seeing a Balrog ask for shelter there..." She contemplated. The elf thought about it, and nodded. "You could go in the Mines of Moria," she told Blade.

Blade shook her head. "I'm not going to leave you guys." She said firmly. "I don't care if I'm a monster. You can use your magic to disguise me."

"No." Mystic said. "The other elves would see right through it. They'd assume the worst of us."

The Balrog sighed, and then nodded. "Okay," Blade said. "I'll go there."

"Can you at least use your magic to create a telepathic link between me and her?" Claw asked Mystic.

"I can," Mystic said. The she-elf closed her eyes and opened them a few minutes later. "You and she are connected now."

"Thank you." The siblings said in unison. Claw approached Blade, then carefully hugged her. She bent down and returned his embrace, being careful not to burn or crush him.

Mystic sent a spell towards the Balrog, and it vanished. "All right; let's head to Rivendell."


	7. Rivendell

Chapter 7: Rivendell

The Dark Lord walked around Cirith Ungol, seeing the many Orcs in the tower. He looked at Gothmog.

Gothmog looked back at him uncertainly.

"What's wrong?" Shadic asked the Orc.

"Nothing." Gothmog lied.

"You're lying. Tell me what's wrong."

Gothmog sighed and nodded, looking at his Master. "I just can't shake the feeling that something very bad is about to happen." He said. "Something that will ultimately lead to your downfall."

Shadic frowned. "Why do you say that?"

"It's not something that happens everyday, Master." The Orc said. "I can feel that it's going to be bigger than what we could ever imagine back home."

The Dark Lord sighed and started to pace. A few minutes later, he looked back at the Orc. "We must make sure that doesn't happen, Gothmog. Now, I have a job for you: I'd like you to be the Orc Captain. The leader of the Orcs."

Gothmog nodded. "As you wish." He said.

"Now, come. We must rebuild the Orc army."

The Orc nodded again. He followed his Master, hoping that this was the right thing to do. They were approached by an armored Orc riding a large, battle-scarred black Warg. "My lord." He said. "I bring much important message."

"What is it?" Shadic asked.

"Strange outsiders have been seen." The Orc reported. "They be a white haired she-elf, a human with hair like grass, and..." He looked around a bit before continuing. "...A Balrog."

The Dark Lord threw back his head and laughed. "Excellent! I have business with the she-elf. We must capture the Balrog and turn it to our side. It will be a great ally. Where are they now?"

"She-elf seeks refuge in Rivendell, along with human." The scout reported. "Balrog was sent to the Mines."

Shadic nodded and turned to Gothmog. "Take a pack of Orcs and head to Rivendell. I shall go to the Mines of Moria."

Gothmog nodded and left.

"Go with them," Shadic told the scout.

"What do you want us to do when we reach Rivendell?" The scout asked.

"Search for the she-elf." The Dark Lord said. "Kill any who resist, including the human."

The scout nodded and left.

* * *

><p>Back in Rivendell, the she-elf and the human had made it there after two days of travelling, and were talking to Elrond about the Dark Lord. They had also changed their names as Claw and Mystic would stand out in Middle-Earth, so they chose Eran and Mystikra.<p>

"We believe he has already begun to rebuild his army." The she-elf was saying.

The human teen grew sad. "One of our companions was transformed into a Balrog shortly before we came here."

Elrond nodded. He left the room and then came back with a gigantic dragon skin, then handed it to Eran. "This enchanted skin will allow you to become a dragon when you wear it," he said.

"Like a skinwalker..." Eran whispered, taking the skin from the elf.

"Exactly. This skin belonged to Ancalagon The Black, the greatest of all the winged dragons, and the largest dragon to have ever lived."

Eran marveled as he felt the smooth, jet black scales on the magical hide, but yet, he felt something dark hiding inside the regular magic. Mystikra seemed to sense it, too. "Are you sure it is safe for use?" She asked. "I can feel dark magic coming from it."

Elrond nodded. "It's safe," he said. "The dark magic has always been there, but I wouldn't worry about it."

The human smiled. "Impressive. Where did you get this?"

"We have had it since the First Age, ever since it was taken from the great dragon himself." Elrond answered.

Eran nodded and put the skin away. "I'll use it well. Do you have any ideas what we should do about Shadic?"

"Not at the present time, my friend." Elrond admitted.

"Then what should we do?"

"We wait." The two nodded and sat down. They listened to what Elrond told them what he knew of Shadic and his parents, Sonic and Shadow. "Those two were always coming here, on some quest that they needed help with." Elrond said. "And I always helped them in some form or another."

"So, what happened?" Eran asked. "Why did Shadow become a Dark Lord?"

Elrond sighed. "It was bound to happen sooner or later. During their first quest when they went to destroy the Ring, Shadow got turned into a Nazgul. He served Sauron until he was killed when the Ring was destroyed, but was brought back to life by Gandalf. A few years later, he found the Ring of Melkor, the first Dark Lord, and he and Sonic went to stop Melkor from escaping the Void. Shadow turned into a Nazgul again and accidentally killed Sonic. He sold his soul to Melkor, becoming his servant, to gain the power of necromancy and see Sonic again. After Melkor told Shadow to send Sonic back to the Void, Shadow killed Melkor and became the next Dark Lord. Sonic stayed behind as a ghost and went with his son to stop Shadow from taking over Middle-Earth. You know the rest."

Mystikra nodded. "Yes...I do..." She said quietly.

Eran looked at Elrond. "Do Sonic and Shadow still live here?"

The elf nodded. "They're living in Rohan."

"Can we speak to them?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Mystikra asked.

"Why wouldn't it be?" Eran asked. "They still live here. Let's go see them."

Mystikra sighed and nodded. "There's something about speaking to a former Dark Lord that just gives me the chills," she said, rubbing her shoulders. She shuddered and looked at Elrond. "How long ago were these events?"

"They occurred three thousand years ago," Elrond said.

The human and she-elf looked at each other, shocked. Sonic, Shadic and Shadow were still alive after three thousand years?

"They must be immortal if they still live today..." Eran said.

"They are."

"How did they become immortal?"

Elrond looked at him."The One Ring made Sonic immortal, and Shadow is immortal because he's a Dark Lord. Shadic inherited his powers and immorality from his parents."

"Oh," Eran said.

"Well, we've pretty much already figured the last part out." Mystikra said.

"When will you go see them?"

"I'm not sure..."

"I'd say a few days from now," Eran said. He looked at Elrond. "When do you think would be best to put the dragon skin on?"

"When you are in dire need of its power." Elrond answered.

"So, it will be permanent? Or can I change back?"

"You will be able to change back." Elrond said.

Eran nodded as he and Mystikra stood up.

"Thank you for everything, Elrond." The she-elf said.

"You're welcome," Elrond said. "Stay here as long as you like."

The two nodded, then went to find a place to stay in Rivendell.


	8. Sorec the Unbreakable

Chapter 8: Sorec the Unbreakable

Gorthaur and his Orc pack were on the move, heading towards the elven city.

"What does this she-elf we are seeking look like?" A scout asked.

"She has white hair," Gorthaur said. "All I know is that she's in Rivendell."

"Many she-elves have white hair." The scout said. "How will we know this one from the others." The Orc captain shrugged. "Perhaps we should search for the human." The scout suggested. "We capture him, he can take us to the she-elf."

"That will work," Gothmog said.

The scout nodded. "How long have you been serving the Dark Lord, Gothmog?"

"Longer than you can imagine." The Orc Captain said.

"Do you enjoy serving him?"

Gothmog fell silent. After a few minutes he looked at the scout and spoke. "I only serve him out of fear of what he could do to me."

"We all do," the scout said. "You are loyal to him, though, I assume."

The Orc Captain nodded. They saw Rivendell in the distance. An evil grin came to Gothmog's face and he looked at his pack. They saw the elven city as well, and they seemed ready to kill.

"Follow my lead," he said. "We must do as our Master commands. Kidnap the human, and he will lead us to the she-elf. Kill any others who interfere."

The Orcs nodded and followed their captain.

They charged toward the city. Eran was walking around, looking at the sights. He sighed and sat down on a bench, looking at the dragon pelt in his hands. He draped the skin around his shoulders like a cape. Not wearing it enough to trigger the change, but enough so he wouldn't have to carry it in his hands all the time. The human then heard roars from miles away, and frowned. His hearing wasn't that good, was it? He saw a large group of many muscular creatures riding on what looked like giant wolves, and they were coming towards the city. Eran's eyes widened in shock. They were Orcs. He grabbed the edges of his dragon skin and quickly wrapped himself in it, initiating the transformation.

As soon as it made contact with his skin, he began to transform. His skin started to harden and vanished as black scales covered his entire body. Armored scutes covered his chest, which deepened as his internal organs grew and shifted into new shapes. Eran's breathing grew louder as his heart, lungs and ribs expanded in size, growing larger to support new muscles. His arms and legs began to change, growing with muscle. The bones in them fractured before reforming, reversing them with a loud crack. This caused his posture to change as he was forced on all fours, the feet and hands growing, thickening and merging the fingers and toes into three digits. Sharp black wicked-looking claws protruded from them, curving downwards.

Eran's body began to grow in size. His spine stretched, lengthening his body width. A tail burst from the back of his spine and sharp spikes shot out of his scales, running down his back all the way to the tip of his tail. An intense pain filled his shoulder blades as two bat-like wings burst from his back, extending to an impressive wingspan that blocked the sun. His neck stretched and extended, growing longer and wider. Bones in his face cracked, causing his face to extend outward. His mouth and nose fused together to become a snout and his jaw grew stronger. The teeth in his mouth sharpened themselves into long, pointed fangs. Eran's tongue changed and grew thinned, becoming forked.

Next to change were his ears. They became three spine fans and grew outwards a little. Then Eran's hair fell out as scales covered his head. Two long curved pointed horns grew out of the top of his skull, causing him to yell in pain. He closed his eyes in pain and felt them move slightly to the sides of his head. When he opened them, he could see in both ultraviolet and infrared light. His eyes had also turned to slits and the pupils turned crimson. Finally, more muscles twisted across his body, gaining mass as he grew larger, reaching an enormous size. The huge black dragon roared and landed in front of the approaching Orc group. They stopped and looked up at it. It growled, showing its razor sharp fangs.

"You will not enter this city as long as I am here!" The dragon snarled, swatting them away with one claw.

"Who are you?" Gothmog asked it.

The dragon leaned down, staring at the Orc with one enormous orange eye. "I am your executioner." He snarled darkly before slashing Gothmog with his claws, sending him flying towards the nearby cliff.

The Orc recovered and glared at it. "I am Gothmog, leader of the Orcs and servant of the Dark Lord Shadic. We are here for the she-elf, along with the human. Where are they?

"They have fled this city."

"Where are they going?"

"They are going to the Lonely Mountain to seek the help of the dwarves."

Gothmog looked at the dragon. "What is your name, dragon?"

"They call me Sorec the Unbreakable. I suggest you leave while you still can."

Gothmog looked at the dragon and left. His pack followed him. Sorec watched them leave and roared, flapping his wings and flying into the air The dragon landed on another cliff and roared after them again, as a final warning. He watched them leave and lay down to rest.


	9. A Flight to Rohan

Chapter 9: A Flight to Rohan

A few hours later, Eran woke up. He looked around and saw that he was on a tall cliff. It took him a little bit, but he soon remembered how he got there, but he didn't want to risk using the pelt again to get back. The human looked around, wondering how to get down. He looked over the edge and saw that it was a steep drop. Sighing, he wrapped the dragon skin around himself and turned into Sorec the Unbreakable. He soared to the other cliff near Rivendell, then closed his eyes and changed back again. Once he landed, he was Eran again. The human smiled and nodded, looking at the pelt on his back. It looked like wide wings.

When he looked down at his hands, he noticed that there were still some scales on them. "I'll have to get some gloves at some point." He thought out loud.

Eran looked at himself, wondering if there were other charges. He didn't see anything else. The human sighed and went into Rivendell. He made sure to keep his hands hidden so that he didn't raise suspicion. A few minutes later he saw Elrond and Mystic. The two elves looked at him when he walked in.

"What happened to you?" Mystikra asked. "You look awful."

"Orcs happened," Eran said.

The she-elf seemed scared. "Orcs? Here?"

He nodded. "I used the dragon skin to fend them off, though." He said.

"That's good." She noticed how he kept his hands hidden. "What's wrong with your hands?" She asked.

"They got injured." He lied.

The she-elf nodded and looked at Elrond. "Why would Orcs attack Rivendell?"

"Do you think they could be after us?" The human added.

"Most likely."

"Brilliant."

"I told them that we fled the city and were heading to the Lonely Mountain," Claw said.

"Isn't that where the dragon Smaug is?" Mystic asked, and Claw nodded.

"I wanted to lead them somewhere dangerous, and that was the first place that came to mind."

"That's good thinking."

The human smiled. "Thanks. Shall we head to Rohan now to see Sonic and Shadow?"

Mystikra thought about it, and then nodded. "We might need to borrow some horses, though." She said. "We'll want to travel as quickly as we can, now that we know the Orcs are after us."

"I'll turn into a dragon and you can ride on my back," Eran told her.

"No, that'll just attract unwanted attention. Plus, staying as a dragon for too long could have negative effects on you." She said.

"You worry too much, Mystikra. I'll be fine."

"I'm being realistic." She said.

The human looked at the she-elf. "I haven't had anything happen to me yet. It'll just be to Rohan and then I'll return to normal."

The she-elf sighed and nodded. "Alright, but if something happens, don't say I didn't warn you." She gave in. Eran smiled and transformed. He lay down so the elf could get on his back, and flew into the air above the clouds. "So, Eran..."

The dragon shook his head. He started swaying in the air a bit as he felt his mind changing a bit. "It's Sorec," he said.

Mystikra looked confused. "Sorec?"

"That is my name in this form." He said, looking at her with one eye. She saw the edges of his eyes starting to turn green.

"O...kay. Are you all right?"

"I am fine."

Mystikra nodded and looked down, seeing the land beneath her. She grabbed onto Sorec's neck to steady herself as the dragon flapped his great wings. She could feel his body grow hot, as if he were about to breathe fire at something.

"Are you going to breathe fire?" She asked. "Why's your body growing hot?"

Sorec growled and narrowed his eyes at something on the ground. A stream of fire flew from his mouth and engulfed a herd of deer galloping on the plains, killing them instantly. The dragon landed and began to eat them.

Mystikra's stomach began to churn. "Oh, that is so sick." She said.

Sorec growled at her and devoured the deer. After he had his meal, he flew off. "I was hungry," he told the she-elf. "And that's how dragons eat, anyway."

"I understand that...all too well..." She said, adding the last bit quietly. "But you really didn't have to be so brutal, did you?" The dragon said nothing and continued to fly. Mystic sighed and looked around, examining his strong body. "Impressive," she said. "How big are you?"

"I'm not entirely sure myself." The dragon answered.

"Do you still have your mind or has it changed? Because you seem to be acting more like a dragon."

"I'm still me. If I wasn't, I would have thrown you off my back by now."

Mystikra chuckled and nodded. The dragon smirked and continued to fly.


	10. The Two Hedgehogs

Chapter 10: The Two Hedgehogs

They reached Rohan in seven days' time. Sorec turned back into Eran and looked at himself. The black scales had covered his hands, which were growing muscular. His fingers were starting to merge into three digits also as his hands started to morph into large paws.

"Oh, that's not good," he whispered before shoving his hand-paws into his pockets.

Eran saw Mystikra walk up to him. "Thanks for the ride. How do you like being a dragon?"

He shrugged. "I've been a dragon before, so it's nothing special."

The she-elf nodded and they walked into the town, looking around for Sonic and Shadow. She saw how her companion kept his hands hidden._ If his hands are wounded, as he said, then he should let me look at them, _she thought.

"What's wrong with your hands?" The she-elf asked him. "Are they still injured?" The human nodded, and Mystikra looked at him. "You seemed fine with them as a dragon."

"Um..." He backed away a bit.

Mystikra frowned. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

"Just forget about it. I'll be fine."

The elf sighed and followed him. A few minutes later they saw two male hedgehogs walk into a house.

"That must be them," Mystic told the human.

He glared at the hedgehogs as they went inside. His pupils narrowed into slits for a moment, then became round again. Eran nodded and walked up to the door. His pupils became slits again and changed color to crimson once the door opened and Shadow stood in front of him.

"May I help you?" The former Dark Lord asked. Mystikra stepped in front of Eran, as she could sense his anger rising and didn't want a fight to break out. "Who are you, she-elf?"

"I am Mystikra." She said. "This is my companion, Eran."

Shadow nodded. "And what do you two want?"

Mystikra was about to answer when a voice yelled, "Shadow! Who's at the door?"

"We just want some information about...the Dark Lord." The elf said as Sonic joined Shadow at the door.

Eran nodded. "He kidnapped my sister and used his magic to change her into a Balrog," He growled. "We need to know how to change her back and take him down."

Shadow sat down with Sonic and the two visitors sat across from them.

"You mean Shadic, right?" Sonic asked. They both nodded. Sonic sighed. "I don't think you'll be able to change her back. Shadic's magic is very powerful." An evil grin was forming on Shadow's face, and Sonic looked at his partner. "What are you grinning about?

Eran's eyes changed again and he clenched his fists. A deep growl escaped his throat. Shadow chuckled deeply and spoke. "You should not want to change your sister back." He said. "She is going to serve a great and noble cause when Shadic finds her. He will convince her to join his army, and she will be a great warrior of darkness. Why would you want to deprive her of that?"

Eran screamed/roared and flew at Shadow, grabbing him by the shoulders with his deformed hand-paws and pinning him against the wall with great strength. "Listen to me, you worthless hairball!" He hissed through clenched teeth. "You know a way to keep Shadic from controlling her. You know a way to change her back, and if you don't tell me, I will kill you!" That's when Shadow and Sonic both saw the dragon skin cape he wore, and they both recognized it instantly.

"Ancalagon," Shadow said. He laughed. "So...Melkor's dragon has returned."

Eran's eyes flashed crimson as his face morphed into a dragon head. He growled at Shadow and spoke in a deep, dark voice. "Tell me how I can save my sister." Eran snarled, tightening his grip on Shadow's neck. His claws began to dig into the former Dark Lord's flesh.

Sonic suddenly got between the two, tears in his eyes. "Stop this, please." He looked at his partner. "Shadow, I love you, but you need to stop this. I don't like seeing you this way. What happened to the man I fell in love with three thousand years ago?"

Eran hissed and slapped Sonic away. "Do not interfere, runt!" He growled.

The blue hedgehog sighed. Then he turned around and punched Shadow in the face, who fell to the ground unconscious. Eran's face turned back into a human's as he looked at Sonic.

"That felt good," Sonic said. He looked at the human and elf. "Since Shadow isn't willing to help, I'll come with you. I never agreed with what my partner and son did as Dark Lords."

"We thank you for helping us." Mystikra said after a moment.

"Hey, it's the least I can do."

"Sorry for calling you a runt." Claw apologized. "Hope I didn't hit you too hard."

Sonic looked at Eran. "You didn't. So...you're Ancalagon."

Eran shook his head. "I am not really Ancalagon, but I can use his skin to become him." He told the hedgehog.

"That's cool."

"Eh, nothing I haven't been through."

"Aren't you supposed to be a ghost?" Mystikra asked Sonic. "Elrond told us that you're dead."

"He did kill me," Sonic said as his body became transparent.

"As I assumed..." Eran said quietly.

"So," the ghost said as his legs became a wispy tail and he floated above the ground. "You want to save your sister?"

"More than anything." The human answered.

"All right. Let's go."

"What about him?" Eran asked, pointing to Shadow's unconscious body.

"Let's just leave him." Mystikra said. "We'll need to move quickly if we want to save Blade."

They nodded and left. Sonic took one last look at Shadow before shaking his head and floating through the door. Eran looked at the ghost. "If you're a ghost, how were you solid when we first saw you? I even hit you."

"I can become solid at will." The ghost answered. Eran nodded. He looked at his hand-paws and put them in his pockets. Sonic noticed this. "What's wrong with your hands?" He asked.

"They're injured," he lied.

Sonic raised an eyebrow and looked at the human suspiciously. Eran sighed and spoke quietly to the ghost. "The last time I changed back from the dragon form, my hands were like this." He said, hoping that Mystikra wouldn't hear. He pulled his hands out, and Sonic noticed that they were becoming paws. "I don't want her to find out because I don't want her to worry any more than she already is." Eran said, gesturing to the she-elf.

The human put his hands back in his pockets, and Sonic smirked. "You're becoming Ancalagon," he said.

"What?" Eran asked, sounding alarmed. Sonic nodded, and Eran gulped. "But...how?"

The ghost gestured to the dragon skin around the human. "This skin is enchanted to allow it's wearer to become Ancalagon, yes..." Sonic said, "but it is also cursed to gradually turn the user's normal form into that of the dragon, as well as corrupt their mind in dragon form."

"How do you know?"

"I can feel it's magic. Ghosts are sensitive to this kind of thing."

Eran looked at the skin and sighed. "Well...that's not good. I'll still need to use it, though. Shall we go?" Sonic nodded and watched as Erin turned into a dragon. He laid down as Mystikra got on his e dragon looked at Sonic. "Are you going to get on?" The ghost shook his head and became solid, then transformed into a griffin. Sorec was surprised. "You can shapeshift?"

The griffin nodded. "Here, I have more powers than my speed alone." He said.

"How can you..."

Sonic chuckled and flapped his wings; when he had the One Ring, it had given him the ability of shapeshifting, as well as immortality. The dragon took flight, and the griffin took off after him. After they had left, Shadow groaned and sat up. He looked around the house.

"Sonic?" He asked. "Are you here?"

He got no answer. Shadow frowned and walked outside, then gasped as he saw a griffin and dragon leave. "Sonic!" He yelled, running after them. "Come back, please!"

Sorec looked down at Shadow as they left. "Should we turn around and get him?" He asked. The griffin thought about it. "Well? If you don't answer, I'll turn around and fry him."

Sonic sighed and shook his head. "Why bother? He's just acting like a jerk."

"Oh. Well, can I still torch him?"

The griffin said nothing, causing the dragon grinned evilly. He swerved in the air, then breathed a wave of fire at the black hedgehog. Shadow screamed as the fire hit him, burning some of his fur off He fell to his knees and watched the two creatures fly away, then staggered back inside his house. Tears came to his eyes as he fell on the bed, sobbing.

"I'm sorry, Sonic," he cried. "I'm so, so sorry..."


	11. The Balrog

Chapter 11: The Balrog

"Do you think that was a bit too much?" Sorec asked.

Sonic frowned. He reached out with his mind to read Shadow's thoughts. What he saw saddened him. Shadow was extremely upset. Shadow believed that Sonic was the one who sent the fire his way. He was crying as well, saying over and over that he was sorry. He didn't want Sonic to leave him. Sonic withdrew from Shadow's mind and looked back. He wanted to help Eran save his sister, but he didn't want to abandon his love.

The griffin sighed and looked at the dragon. "I'll help you," he said. "But as soon as I do, I'm coming back to Rohan. Shadow needs me. When I looked into his mind, I felt great sadness. His feelings are deeply hurt. He thinks that I've left him for good, and blames me for burning him. I've...never seen him this upset before."

"If you don't want to help, just go back." Sorec spat. "We don't need your help anyway."

Mystikra glared at the dragon, and Sonic looked at him. "What makes you say that? Of course I'll help!"

"He's normally not like that, Sonic." Mystikra apologized. "He's just upset because of what happened to his sister."

The griffin sighed and they flew on.

* * *

><p>Deep in the Mines of Moria, Shadic appeared. He looked around; the Balrog had to be somewhere. He found no sign of the flaming shadow demon. As he walked, he sensed that something was watching him. A growl came, and out of the shadows rose the Balrog. It looked at Shadic and roared, but the Dark Lord bravely stood his ground. There was something different about this Balrog, as its flames burned bright blue instead of orange, and it seemed to have more of a conscious than others of its kind.<p>

"Who are you?" It asked. "What are you doing trespassing in my home?"

You do not recognize your master when you see him?" Shadic asked it.

The Balrog growled and lashed its tail. "I have no master!" It said. "Now begone before I sever your head from your spine!"

The Dark Lord laughed, and sent a dark spell towards the Balrog. It roared in pain as its eyes turned red. "Remember your Master," Shadic said. "You have served me before, and will do so again! Now submit!"

Its flames flashed orange for a moment, then turned blue again. The Balrog looked at him with white eyes. "I...serve...NOBODY!" It roared before rushing at him with her flaming axe.

Shadic teleported behind the Balrog and laughed before transforming into one himself. He roared at it as the ring on his finger glowed brightly. The Balrog roared and sank to its knees, the influence of the One Ring corrupting its mind. Its flames turned orange and its eyes red.

"I am your Master!" The Dark Lord yelled. "I have always been your Master! Now, SUBMIT!"

The Balrog sat on its knees for a while, breathing heavily, until its blue flames consumed the cave as its claws glowed black and gained shadowy extensions. It rushed at the Dark Lord, fighting against him with all its might. Shadic growled angrily; this Balrog had a strong will, and it would not give in so easily. But he had one last trick up his sleeve, one that would surely bring it to darkness. He waited for it to come close enough for him to use that trick. Closing his eyes, he filled himself with evil. The ring glowed as an aura of darkness surrounded him and leaked out to the Balrog. It stopped and trembled, then fell to its knees as the dark aura surrounded its body. The Balrog fought the darkness invading its body with every bit of willpower it could muster. It growled angrily and closed its eyes, finally submitting to the darkness. Its flames turned orange as shadows leaked out of its body, surrounding it in a dark, shadowy aura. Shadic watched the transformation with pride, and when the Balrog opened its eyes, they were red. It bowed.

"Master," it said.

Shadic chuckled. "Excellent," he said.

"What would you have me do, Master?"

"Come along for now." Shadic said. As they went, the Balrog left deep scratches in a dashed line on the floor with its tail, forming a path behind them.

"Where are we going?" It asked him.

"Back to Mordor," he told it.

The Balrog nodded. Shadic said a spell and the two vanished in a flash of light.


	12. Eran's Change

Chapter 12: Eran's Change

The three flew on for a week until they reached the Miles. Sorec landed and turned back into a human but then gasped when he looked at himself. His hands were now fully paws with long sharp black talons poking from the tips of the three digits he now had on each paw. The black scales were climbing up his arms, making them more muscular and larger. He tried shoving them back into his pockets, but they were too big for that now. Sorec examined them. His paws were massive, as big as his face. The arms were quickly gaining muscle and he watched them bulge out, growing larger and stronger by the second as the black scales covered them The sound of his shirt sleeves tearing caught Mystikra's attention, as well as Sonic's. His shoulders grew with muscle and then stopped. Sorec looked at his new arms. His arms now felt much heavier, since they were now covered in thick muscle. Eran sighed and looked at Sonic and Mystikra. He saw the terrified look on Mystikra's face.

"What happened to you?" She asked. "You look like a monster!" A growl came from Eran's throat as his eyes changed to crimson slits. She realized that it was because of the dragon skin. "I knew it! I always knew that thing was cursed!" She yelled.

"It doesn't matter!" Eran roared, his face and body threatening to change as it bubbled. The she-elf dashed towards her human companion and grabbed the dragon skin with both hands, trying to yank it off his back. It didn't budge. The skin had fused with his back, creating large, wide wings. She fell back as she was almost speared in the gut with his spike-tipped tail. This was the final straw for Eran. He roared in anger and transformed. Mystikra screamed in fear.

Sonic's eyes widened in shock. "S...Sorec?"

The dragon growled. He looked at the ghost with one eye. The dragon growled again and saw the she-elf. It roared and spoke in a dark, deep voice.

"Interfere with my transformation and die, elf!" The dragon snarled in a voice that was not his own. Mystikra nodded, fearful. The dragon growled and looked around, setting its crimson eyes on Sonic. Sonic gulped nervously. "You may think you cannot be harmed, spirit, but my fire can burn you right out of existence." He snarled at Sonic. "So, if you wish to stay in this world, you will not interfere either."

The ghost nodded as the dragon returned to its human form. He had changed even more. His feet had begun to change, but it was hard to tell that with his boots on. The scales had spread across his torso and neck. His neck was growing longer and his chest deepened as scutes began to cover it. His pants ripped as he grew a tail, but that was where the changes stopped for now. Eran looked at himself and laughed.

"This isn't the Eran I know." Mystic whispered.

The human glared at the she-elf and growled. "Don't test me, " he said, and walked into the mines to look for the Balrog.

The elf and ghost followed him worriedly. "What's happening to him?" Mystikra asked Sonic, who was walking beside her, solid.

"The pelt has been cursed." He told her. "It is gradually turning his body and mind into those of Ancalagon the Black."

"Wasn't Ancalagon a servant of the Dark Lord Melkor?"

The hedgehog nodded. "If he fully turns...then Shadic will..."

"He'll what?" Mystikra asked, afraid. "What's going to happen to Eran once he fully changes?'

"Either Eran will go on a rampage or Shadic will attempt to gain control of him." Sonic said gravely.

"Is there anything we can do?" The ghost shook his head. Mystikra looked like she was about to cry. "We should have never left home." She said to herself.

Sonic looked at her in pity. He could feel her pain, losing both of her companions in such a short amount of time.

After a half hour of walking around, Eran growled. "She's not here," he said.

"As I feared." Mystic whispered.

"Then she must be in Mordor," Sonic said.

"Tell me where that is!" Eran demanded.

"It's in the east, near Minas Tirith. It'll take us at least two months to get there."

"Isn't there a faster way?" Mystikra asked.

The ghost shook his head.

The elf couldn't take it anymore. She kicked the wall and screamed. "This is hopeless!" She yelled. "We're never going to win! By the time we get there, Eran will be reduced to a savage, snarling monster!" Eran glared at her. "It's true!" She told him. "I don't want to see you like that!" The human scoffed and shook his head. "You're not listening to me!" She yelled. "You know that Blade wouldn't want to see you like this!"

"It's already happening!" Eran shouted.

Mystikra looked scared. She sighed. "If you really hate me that much, then you can go save your sister without me," she despaired.

"I don't hate you."

"Yes, you do."

"What makes you say that?" Eran shouted.

"You've been threatening to kill me see since we left Rivendell!" She yelled back. The human sighed. She looked a him sadly. "What are we going to do?" She asked.

"I don't know." The human said. Mystikra nodded and looked at Sonic. The ghost shrugged.

"Let's head to Mordor, then," Eran said, and walked out of the mines. The other two followed him and watched as he turned into a dragon.

"Flying is the fastest way to get there." He said. "Just tell me where to go, Sonic, and I'll go there."

"Head towards Minas Tirith," Sonic said. "It's near the Lonely Mountain. Mordor is on the outskirts." The dragon nodded and flew in that direction. Sonic smiled and turned into an eagle. He looked at Mystikra. "Are you coming?

She nodded, but got onto Sonic's back and not Eran's. The giant eagle screeched and followed Sorec.


	13. Curse Of A Dragon

Chapter 13: Curse Of A Dragon

Sorec began to growl as they approached the Lonely Mountain.

"How long until we reach Mordor?" He asked Sonic.

The eagle looked at him. "I already told you, two months."

"Even while flying?" Mystic asked. "I thought you meant on foot!"

"Mordor's a long ways from here. We just left the mines."

"Yeah, you're right..."

The giant eagle nodded, and they flew on. They had to stop occasionally so they could eat and use the bathroom, but otherwise they continued their travel. As they flew, Sorec saw shapes on the ground. Suddenly an arrow pierced his wing. He roared and began to tumble out of the sky. As he fell, he could feel his body changing back. Sonic screeched and flew under him. The eagle caught the human but Mystikra could see that Erin had changed even more. His feet were morphing into paws, and his legs were gaining a digitigrade stance. A row of spikes went down his spine, and a pair of horns adorned his head. The elf sighed. More arrows flew into the air as Sonic screeched.

"Orcs!" He said.

Eran's eyes snapped open, showing that one of them had a slit pupil and was turning red at the edges. He growled as both his eyes turned to red slits. "Let me kill them," he said in a voice that wasn't his own.

"But-" Mystikra said before being cut off by Eran's roar.

He jumped off the eagle, turning into a dragon and landing on all fours in front of the Orcs. Gothmog saw Sorec and sneered. The dragon saw the Orc captain and tried to smash him with his armored tail.

Gothmog dodged the blow and looked at Sorec. "You are quite powerful for a mere dragon," he said. "Who are you...really?"

"I am done speaking to you, scum!" Sorec snarled as he continued trying to flatten the Orc.

The Orc captain moved out of the way as one of Sorec's large paws slammed into the ground where Gothmog had been seconds earlier. He looked at his pack. "Attack the dragon," he said. "Make sure it doesn't escape."

The dragon inhaled deeply and let loose an inferno of fire from it's mouth, scorching Gothmog's forces down to their very souls.

Gothmog looked on in fear as his pack was burned alive. The Orc Captain gulped; he was the only person standing. He looked at Sorec in fear, who growled as it planted its face up to his.

"Listen well," it told the Orc. "I am coming to Mordor, and I hope you and the others, especially Shadic, will be prepared for my arrival. You'll be surprised to see me, because I will not be the same. Now go tell the Dark Lord that Ancalagon the Black will return!"

The Orc whimpered in fear and ran off. Sorec growled as it began to change back to its human form. The human-dragon hybrid roared after the Orc as he fled back to his master. Eran looked at himself and saw that he had changed even more. His feet were now gigantic three-toed paws with sharp talons, and he was bending over now due to his legs changing. The human's neck was elongating as well, growing larger and wider. He could feel armored scutes going down his throat and chest, as well.

"The transformation is almost complete," he hissed. "Soon, I will have the strength to kill the bastard who took my sister!"

Mystikra and Sonic looked at each other nervously.

Eran noticed this. "What is that look for?" he asked them.

"Your mind is being corrupted," Sonic told the human. "After you fully transform, you'll be Ancalagon permanently, and will have his mental state. Basically, he'll be reborn."

The human chuckled. "As long as my sister is saved, I don't care." He said darkly.

The giant eagle sighed and nodded. "Very well," he said. "Come; let's be on our way."

Eran turned into a dragon, and they flew off. Sonic led their way. "I was thinking we could get Smaug to help us," he told the others.

"Why?" Mystikra asked.

"He might be more inclined to help us when a fellow dragon talks some sense into him." The spirit explained.

"That makes sense. All right; let's go."

They flew on together.

A month passed, and they reached the Lonely Mountain. As Sorec turned back into a human, he roared in pain and doubled over. His knees cracked as they reversed, growing with muscle, which caused him to fall onto all four legs. His insides felt like they were moving when, in fact, that's exactly what they were doing. Sorec's organs began to stretch and reshape themselves. His chest grew deeper as they organs continued to shift around in his body, giving him a feeling of nausea. He screamed in pain when his heart started to expand, pumping more blood into his body. His lungs also grew in size, making his breathing much easier and filling his body with more oxygen. The organs in his body continued to move and grow, squeezing against his ribs.

His chest deepened as his internal organs doubled in size, making room for new muscles in his body. Sorec's ribcage also expanded, giving his lungs and heart more room to grow inside his chest. The human's torso was expanding and growing in size as scutes covered it. He could feel his entire body burning up from the inside like a miniature furnace. The human grunted in pain as his stomach churned, making him even more nauseous. A painful, burning sensation rose up inside his throat and Sorec coughed, blowing out a jet of flame from his mouth.

Sorec's neck continued to elongate, widening and extending as it grew upwards. Bones in his face and neck started to crack painfully as his face started to extend, pushing outwards to and fusing his mouth and nose together to become a long draconian snout. Razor sharp fangs tore through his gums to replace his teeth, sharpening into long points. The tip of his tongue became forked, splitting into two and becoming narrow.

He closed his eyes in pain when he felt them move slightly to the sides of his head. When he opened them, the pupils had turned into slits as the color of his eyes turned to crimson red. He found in surprise that he could now see in infrared and ultraviolet light. Sorec's ears had also moved to the sides of his head and stretched out a bit. His muscles twisted and rippled across his body, growing across his body and becoming stronger. Finally, Sorec continued to grow larger in height until he reached a gargantuan size, taller than the mountain itself.

The last thing to change was his mind. He roared as it changed, giving him the instincts and nature of a dragon. Memories entered his mind, ones of Ancalagon the Black. Once the transformation was over, Sorec was no more. He was now Ancalagon the Black, the greatest of the winged dragons.


	14. Smaug

Chapter 14: Smaug

He looked down at the giant eagle and she-elf, then bent down and snapped his jaws at them hungrily. Their eyes widened.

"What do we do now?" Mystikra whispered to Sonic.

Sonic didn't answer. He picked Mystikra up bridal style and ran as fast as his legs could carry him in order to avoid a stream of fire from Ancalagon's mouth. They ran into the mountain. Ancalagon roared and tried to follow, but he was far too large to fit inside. The dragon growled as his eye looked in the opening. He couldn't see his prey, but he knew they were inside. As Sonic ran, he looked around.

"Smaug!" He yelled. "Are you here? We need your help!"

Mystikra looked at the huge piles gold and jewels surrounding the two of them. She fell to her knees and took a handful of coins, then let them fall through her fingers again. As she did, the gold began shifting. A dragon came out from under it and looked at them. The dragon had emerged from behind the she-elf, so wasn't aware of him yet.

"What are you doing in my domain?" Smaug asked.

The she-elf screamed and turned around. "Great and m-mighty Smaug..." She gasped before quickly bowing. "W-we come t-to you with a request."

"And what is that?" The dragon rumbled.

"We are in dire need of your assistance, your greatness." She said. "By he Dark Lord Shadic has corrupted my two closest friends with his dark magic, and we would be very grateful if you were to help us defeat him."

Smaug thought about it. "Who did he corrupt?"

"A Balrog, and Ancalagon the Black."

Smaug's eyes widened when she said the latter. His eyes then narrowed again. "That's impossible!" He growled. "Balrogs have been extinct for several years now, as is Ancalagon!"

The she-elf shook her head. "They are still alive. I have seen them."

"You are lying!" The dragon snarled. Mystikra was about to say something when part of the mountain exploded. Ancalagon stood there, growling. Smaug's eyes widened in shock. "Ancalagon?" He asked. "Is it really you?"

The black dragon nodded and spoke. "Smaug the Golden. It has been quite some time." He growled.

"Indeed. What are you doing here? I thought you were dead."

"I have been resurrected by the foolish human who wore my skin."

The other dragon grinned. "Impressive. What do you want?"

"I want for you to join me in my quest for glory. I am going to seek out the Dark Lord and become his servant once more. Will you join me?"

"Melkor has been trapped in the Void since the First Age."

"There is a new Dark Lord, named Shadic."

Smaug nodded. "I have no interest in joining him. My place is here."

"I thought you would say that." The larger dragon made eye contact with the smaller one. "If you were to join me, you would be rewarded with enough gold and treasure to make this entire mountain seem worthless in comparison."

A glint appeared in Smaug's eyes, but he shook his head. "A tempting offer, but I must refuse."

Ancalagon bowed his head in respect. "Very well, old friend." Ancalagon said.

He smiled and flew off. Smaug watched him leave and sighed, then looked at the hedgehog and she-elf.

"If you aren't joining him, does that mean you will be helping us?" The elf asked.

"I will," Smaug said.

Mystikra and Sonic were both very pleased to hear this, but they were worried about what the dragon would do to them if they showed it.

"What are we going to do about Ancalagon?" Sonic asked Smaug.

"We are going to stop him." Smaug said. "If he gets to the Dark Lord, all of Middle-Earth will be lost."

"And the Balrog? Shadic already has it under his control."

"When we kill this Shadic, the Balrog will be freed from his control."

"Shadic is my son," Sonic said. "I don't want him killed."

"It is the only way!" Smaug snarled.

Sonic sighed. "What about locking him in the Void? Would that work?"

The dragon nodded. "But there is a catch." He said. "When another Dark Lord steps up to take his place, they will become corrupted again.

The ghost sighed. "Well, we'll just have to deal with that, then. Shall we head to Mordor?" Smaug and Mystikra nodded. Smaug offered his neck to the two. "Climb on." He said.

"I'll fly myself there," Sonic said, and turned into a dragon. Smaug's eyes widened and he chuckled.

"Impressive, hedgehog." He said. "Now come. We have much ground to cover in very little time."

Mystikra got on Smaug's back, and the two dragons flew off.


	15. A Journey To Mordor

Chapter 15: A Journey To Mordor

They could see Ancalagon flying ahead of them in the distance. Smaug growled and increased his speed.

"No, Smaug," Mystikra said. "If we get too close, he will spot us and most likely attack us." The dragon nodded and slowed down, watching Ancalagon fly away. They made sure to stay close, but not too close. "How long will it take to get to Mordor now?" The she-elf asked Smaug. "It took us a month to get here from the Mines of Moria."

"At the speeds we're flying at now, it will take us about half that time." Smaug answered her.

"That's a relief. Have you ever been to Mordor before?"

"Once."

"What's it like?"

Smaug looked down.

"It's a very evil place," Sonic said. "Full of misery, death and corruption. I cannot remember what it looked like, but the vileness of that air has never left my mind."

Smaug looked at Sonic. "You've been there as well?"

Sonic nodded."I went there three thousand years ago with Shadow when we defeated Sauron."

The dragon was surprised by this."You were there when Sauron was defeated?" He asked.

"I was. My partner, Shadow, was with me also. After defeating Sauron, we went on another quest to defeat Melkor, also known as Morgoth, the first Dark Lord and Master of Sauron. Shadow accidentally killed me and became the next Dark Lord. That's how my son Shadic's the current one."

Smaug nodded. "I see..."

Sonic sighed. "If Shadow hadn't found Melkor's Ring, none of this would have happened."

They flew on in silence. Fifteen days passed, and they came to Minas Tirith. Mordor could be seen in the distance. Mystikra shivered when she felt the foul air hit her skin. They landed near Minas Tirith as Sonic turned back into a hedgehog. He looked at Smaug.

"Are we going to walk there, or what?"

The dragon nodded. "If we fly any farther, we risk getting attacked." Smaug told them.

"How's a dragon going to get through those mountains?"

Smaug chuckled. He closed his eyes and his shape began to change. Soon, he was a human. "It's been a while since I took this shape," Smaug said. "But it helps."

"Impressive," Sonic said. "Do all dragons have alternative forms?"

"Some do, but most don't." Smaug answered.

"What about Ancalagon?"

Smaug nodded. "His human form is rarely used, and I have never seen it," He said. "I do know that he has one, though."

Sonic smiled and he turned into a human. "I think I'll be one for a while," he said.

"You are full of surprises, hedgehog. Can you transform into anything?"

The blue haired human nodded. "I can."

Smaug chuckled and they walked towards the mountains. They went in silence for a while. Sonic thought about what they were going to do when they reached Mordor. He smirked evilly; they had no idea what they were up against. Soon, they reached a pass through the mountains and walked through it.

"How long until we get there?" Mystrikra asked Sonic.

"A few hours, at the most," Sonic said. "If you want to, I can make our journey quicker."

Smaug looked at the blue-haired human. "And how will you do that?"

Sonic smirked. He grabbed Mystikra and Smaug's hands, then ran down the path at the speed of sound. In seconds, they had entered Mordor. Mystikra and Smaug panted for breath and looked at Sonic.

"How...can you...run...that fast?" Mystikra asked Sonic, panting to catch her breath.

"I was born with the ability to run at the speed of sound," Sonic said, smirking. "Was I going to fast for you?"

He smiled a cocky grin, and Smaug elbowed him in the ribs. Sonic glared at the disguised dragon, then looked to see Mount Doom and Barad-Dur in the distance.

"What now?" Mystikra asked him.

Sonic said nothing. He looked at them and ran to Barad-Dur as Smaug and Mystikra followed him. Once they were there, Sonic walked inside and looked around.

"I am here, son," he yelled, his voice echoing across the tower.

A laughter rang across the tower and Shadic appeared, He smirked and nodded, his red eyes glowing. "Hello, father. How long has it been? 3000 years for you to return to me?"

Sonic smirked and nodded, his eyes gaining a red tint. "Indeed," he said.

Smaug and Mystikra both looked confused.

"Sonic?" Smaug asked. "What's going on?"

The human turned to looked at them, and chuckled. "I'm sorry," he said. "But I have betrayed you. It is time the Ring of Power was returned to its rightful owner."

Instantly, his body began to transform. Sonic hissed as his body twisted in a way it wasn't meant to. All his color turned gold as he slowly became metal. Sonic shrank in size, engravings writing themselves across his form.

Mystikra and Smaug's eyes widened. In Sonic's place...was the One Ring.


End file.
